Tunneling or extraction machine with an anchor-setting device and support manipulator or supporting device

ABSTRACT

A tunneling or extraction machine includes cutting tools that are movable over the heading face and are arranged on the boom, and a platform that is movable in the longitudinal direction of the machine and carries roof support devices. The roof support devices include a support manipulator or a supporting device and an anchor-boring and anchor setting device. The anchor-boring and anchor setting device are fastened to the moving platform in a pivotable manner between a parked position and an operating position. The support manipulator or the supporting device has a telescopic arm that is fastened to the movable platform in a vertically pivotable manner, wherein the support manipulator or the supporting device and the anchor-boring and anchor setting device are fastened to the movable platform at a pre-defined, fixed distance apart from one another and are displaceable together with the moving platform between a retracted position and a forwardly displaced position.

The present invention relates to a tunnelling or extraction machine comprising cutting tools, which are movable over the heading face and are arranged on a boom, and a platform which is movable in the longitudinal direction of the machine and carries roadway support devices.

Such a tunnelling or extraction machine was known from AT 507495 A1.

When securing and supporting a tunnelled roadway, usually various types of securing and roadway support devices are provided, wherein, depending on the structure of the rock, in addition to anchor-boring and anchor-setting devices shotcrete manipulators or devices for manipulating and positioning support frames or arches are also required. Conventional tunnelling or extraction machines do not fully meet these requirements, since the different types of roadway support devices cannot be provided at the same time and at a suitable position in a space-saving manner. For example, manipulation devices for support elements, such as support frames or support arches, have been proposed which are separate from the tunnelling or extraction machine. The effort required for roadway securing and support measures is, however, considerably increased by providing separate devices, wherein, due to the constricted available space in the supported roadway, difficulties arise with respect to carrying out the support measures also at a position directly behind the heading face.

An anchor-boring and anchor-setting device arranged on a sliding track is known from AT 502 047 A4, in which an additional manipulator for lifting and for mounting covering mats is fastened to a rollover of the anchor-boring and anchor-setting device. An embodiment of a support device having two anchor-boring and anchor-setting devices which are pivotably supported on an anchor platform which is movable in the longitudinal direction of the machine is the subject matter of AT 413230 B.

DE 29 34 625 A1 discloses a combination of a tunnelling machine with support devices, in which a support manipulator is fixed onto a sliding track, so that pre-assembled support arches can be conveyed along the tunnelling machine and positioned in the roadway in the front area of the tunnelling machine.

In contrast, in the case of the subject matter in DE 34 13 261 A1, a revolving crane is used which is fixed onto the rear side of the tunnelling machine for lifting up the pre-assembled support arches and for transferring to a support manipulator which can be moved on the sliding track.

A further example for a support manipulator which can be moved on a sliding track can be learned from DE 29 08 452 A1.

Therefore, on the one hand, the described embodiments relate to the providing of individual roadway support devices in connection with a tunnelling machine, whereby although a specific operation within the scope of the roadway support process can be mechanised and efficiently designed, manual operations are still necessary. On the other hand, the described embodiments relate to multi-functional solutions (e.g. AT 507495 A1), which although they are versatile in their use, in individual cases modifications have to be made, which makes a mechanised method of operation difficult.

The invention therefore aims to develop a tunnelling machine with integrated roadway support devices further, to the effect that the degree of mechanisation can be considerably increased for a combined roadway support process. At the same time, the individual support devices should be able to be positioned on the tunnelling machine such that the lowest possible headway can be achieved.

In order to achieve this object, the invention essentially makes provision for the roadway support devices to comprise a support manipulator and an anchor-boring and anchor-setting device, wherein the anchor-boring and anchor-setting device is fastened to the movable platform in a pivotable manner between a parked position and an operating position and the support manipulator has a telescopic arm which is fastened to the movable platform in a vertically pivotable manner and which carries a gripping device for temporarily taking at least one support element, in particular a support arch, wherein the support manipulator and the anchor-boring and anchor-setting device are fastened to the movable platform at a predefined, fixed distance apart from one another and are displaceable together with the movable platform between a retracted position and a forwardly displaced position.

In a further embodiment of this invention, provision is essentially made for the roadway support devices to comprise an anchor-boring and anchor-setting device and a supporting device assigned to it for the roof, wherein the anchor-boring and anchor-setting device is fastened to the movable platform in a pivotable manner between a parked position and an operating position and the supporting device has a telescopic arm which is fastened to the movable platform in a vertically pivotable manner, wherein the supporting device and the anchor-boring and anchor-setting device are fastened to the movable platform at a predefined, fixed distance apart from one another and are displaceable together with the movable platform between a retracted position and a forwardly displaced position.

As a result of the anchor-boring and anchor-setting device being pivotably arranged between a parked position and an operating position, the anchor-boring and anchor-setting device can be placed out of the way during heading to save space without hampering the cutting process. In the parked position, the anchor-boring and anchor-setting device is preferably folded-up flat on the movable platform. As a result of the support manipulator or the supporting device having a telescopic arm which is fastened to the movable platform in a vertically pivotable manner, for heading, the support manipulator or the supporting device can be pivoted downwards onto the movable platform, in order to thereby minimise the space taken up. The telescopic vertically pivotable arm of the support manipulator, according to the invention has a gripping device, by which the individual segments or already screwed together multiple segments of the support elements, in particular support arches, are held and brought into the installation position.

Due to the pivotable and telescopic design of the arm, the gripping device along with the support element temporarily held in the gripping device can be precisely positioned. After the gripping device has brought the at least one support element to the intended position, the support element is mounted as a rule from the bottom up, wherein firstly the props are positioned and the support arch is connected to the previous support arch via spacer bars.

As a result of the support manipulator or the support device and the anchor-boring and anchor-setting device being fastened to the movable platform at a predefined, fixed distance apart from one another, it is not necessary to set the mutual positions of the two support devices, so that manipulation is made simpler and mechanisation can be improved. The operating position of the anchor-boring and anchor-setting device relative to the support manipulator is in particular chosen such that anchors can be set in the area of the vertical plane defined by the support element positioned by the gripping element. In the case of the supporting device, the operating position of the anchor-boring and anchor-setting device relative to the supporting device is chosen such that anchors can be set in the area of the roof supported by the supporting device.

In this connection, a preferred further embodiment makes provision for the supporting device to have a supporting plate which can be pressed against the roof.

In this connection, a preferred further embodiment makes provision for the operating position to be chosen such that the anchor-boring and anchor-setting device and the supporting device in the operating position become effective in an area of the roof located in front of the cutting tools.

According to a preferred further embodiment, the mechanisation of the roadway support process can be further improved by the roadway support devices further comprising a lifting crane which has a telescopic jib rotatable about a horizontal rotational axis. Here, the lifting crane is preferably fastened to the movable platform at a predefined, fixed distance from the support manipulator or supporting device. Overall, the movable platform carries all essential roadway support devices required for the roadway support process, namely the lifting crane, the support manipulator or the supporting device and the anchor-boring and anchor-setting device. The roadway support process is preferably carried out in such a way that the lifting crane in the retracted position of the platform firstly grips at least one roadway support element, lifts it up, conveys it forwards by pivoting the crane jib and deposits it in a holding device of the gripping device. Then, the movable platform is forwardly displaced and the at least one support element is pressed onto the roof by means of the telescopic arm of the support manipulator.

In this connection, a preferred further embodiment makes provision for the gripping device to comprise at least one, preferably two, holding pocket(s) for a support element in each case, in particular for a support arch. In the case of one embodiment with two holding pockets, two support elements, in particular support arches, can consequently be brought into the assembly positions at the same time, so that the speed of the roadway support process can be increased. Furthermore, at the same time, the desired distance between two consecutive support elements is predefined by the distance between the two holding pockets.

If, according to a preferred further embodiment, the gripping device comprises a carrying device, which in particular is arch-like, for temporarily taking a covering mat, at the same time, a covering mat can be positioned by the gripping device or the support elements pressing onto the roof, so that immediately after that the anchor-setting process can be begun.

In order to increase the stability of the platform, provision is preferably made for the platform to be supported in the upwardly displaced position on a support arranged on the boom.

Pivoting of the anchor-boring and anchor-setting device between the parked position and the operating position and the degree of freedom required for setting the anchors in the entire roadway profile are particularly easily achieved in terms of design by providing a pivoting device for pivoting the anchor-boring and anchor-setting device between the parked position and the operating position, on which pivoting device a rollover is arranged, by means of which the anchor-boring and anchor-setting device in the operating position is pivotable about a rotational axis running in the longitudinal direction of the machine. It is particularly advantageous here if the pivoting device is arranged on the front end of the movable platform. This enables the rollover or the anchor-boring and anchor-setting device to be pivoted beyond the front end of the movable platform downwards into the operating position, so that the most central positioning possible is obtained of the anchor-boring and anchor-setting device within the roadway profile.

In order to stabilise the anchor-boring and anchor-setting device during the boring process and when setting the anchors, the embodiment is preferably further developed in such a way that the pivoting device has at least one supporting prop which is extendable against the floor in the operating position of the anchor-boring and anchor-setting device.

In order to make operation of the anchor-boring and anchor-setting device easier for operating personnel, provision is preferably made for work platforms to be arranged on the movable platform on both sides of the longitudinal centre plane of the machine. In particular, the respective work platforms can be lowered and lifted by means of a lowering and lifting device relative to the movable platform.

Particularly stable platform guidance is advantageous considering the forces acting on the roadway support devices during the roadway support process. According to a preferred further embodiment, this is achieved by the movable platform being encompassed on both sides by guide rails arranged on a machine frame.

The invention is explained in more detail below by means of an exemplary embodiment schematically illustrated in the drawing. In this drawing,

FIG. 1 shows a lateral view of the tunnelling or extraction machine according to claim 1 with the movable platform in the retracted position,

FIG. 2 a front view of the machine according to FIG. 1,

FIG. 3 a lateral view of the machine according to FIG. 1 with the movable platform in the forwardly displaced position,

FIG. 4 a front view of the machine according to FIG. 3,

FIG. 5 an oblique view of the machine in a roadway supported by roadway arches,

FIG. 6 a lateral view of the tunnelling or extraction machine according to claim 2 and

FIG. 7 a plan view of the machine according to FIG. 6.

A tunnelling or extraction machine according to claim 1 of the present invention is illustrated with a 1 in FIG. 1, in which a cutting roller 3, which is rotatable about a horizontal axis and having a plurality of cutting tools 4 arranged on the periphery of the cutting roller 3, is attached to a boom 2. The boom 2 can be vertically pivoted in the direction of the double arrow 5, so that the cutting tools can be moved over the heading face which is not illustrated. Clearing tools for the excavated material, by means of which excavated material can be transferred to a conveying device extending in the longitudinal direction of the machine, are indicated with a 6. The excavated material is transported to the rear end 7 of the machine by means of the conveying device, where it is, for example, transferred to a stationary conveying device in the form of a belt conveyor or chain conveyor. The machine 1 further has a caterpillar traction unit 8.

Guide rails 9 are arranged on the machine frame of the machine 1 on both sides of the longitudinal centre plane of the machine, in which a movable platform 10 is displaceably guided in the direction of the double arrow 11. The movable platform 10 carries a plurality of roadway support devices, namely a lifting crane 12, a support manipulator 13 and an anchor-boring and anchor-setting device 14. The movable platform 10 is illustrated in the retracted position in FIG. 1. In this parked position, the roadway support devices 12, 13, 14 are folded up, in order to minimise the space taken up and hinder the cutting process as little as possible. Thus, for example, the telescopic jib 15 of the lifting crane 12 is pivoted downwards, namely in particular into a position parallel to the movable platform 10. The telescopic arm 16 of the support manipulator 13 is also in a position which is pivoted downwards, whereby the gripping device 17 of the support manipulator also comes to rest on the movable platform 10. The anchor-boring and anchor-setting device 14 comprises a pivoting device 18, by means of which the anchor-boring and anchor-setting device 14 can be pivoted back and forth between the parked position illustrated in FIG. 1 and the operating position illustrated in FIG. 3. In the parked position illustrated in FIG. 1, the anchor-boring and anchor-setting device 14 preferably runs transverse to the longitudinal direction of the machine as can be particularly clearly identified in the front view according to FIG. 2. In the parked position of the anchor-boring and anchor-setting device 14 illustrated in FIG. 1, only the support props 19 jut out from the movable platform 10.

In the front view according to FIG. 2, it can be identified that the guide rails 9 in each case have a U-shaped cross-section, which encompass lateral guide elements 20 of the movable platform 10. Furthermore, it can be seen that the anchor-boring and anchor-setting device 14 is positioned transversely in the parked position, i.e. it extends transverse to the longitudinal direction of the machine. Furthermore, the conveying device 21 arranged between the two clearing tools 6 and extending in the longitudinal direction of the machine can be identified in FIG. 2.

In FIG. 3, the machine illustrated in FIG. 1 is illustrated with a forwardly displaced platform 10 and roadway support devices brought into the operating position. The movable platform 10 is moved forward by means of the schematically illustrated displacement drive 22, wherein the displacement drive is, for example, formed by a chain drive. In the forwardly moved position of the platform 10 it is supported on a support 23 of the boom 2. The telescopic arm 16 of the support manipulator 13 has been extended and pivoted upwards by means of the hydraulic cylinder piston power unit 24. The pivot pin of the arm 16 is indicated with a 25. The gripping device 17 is also in the operating position and fastened to the arm 16 in a pivotable manner via a hinge 26. The pivot drive of the gripping device 17 is formed by the hydraulic cylinder piston power unit 27. The gripping device 17 has two holding pockets 28, in which, as shown in FIG. 5, in each case a support arch can be taken or held.

The anchor-boring and anchor-setting device 14 is pivoted from the parked position (FIG. 1) into the operating position (FIG. 3) by means of the pivoting device 18. For this purpose, the pivoting device 18 comprises a pivot arm 28 which can be pivoted about the pivot pin 30 by means of the hydraulic cylinder piston power unit 29. The pivot arm 28 carries a rollover 31, to which the anchor-boring and anchor-setting device 14 is attached and which enables the anchor-boring and anchor-setting device 14 to be pivoted about the pivot axis 32. In FIG. 3, it can be seen that the anchor-boring and anchor-setting device 14 is placed at right angles to the roof in the operating position, wherein the mutual positioning of the anchor-boring and anchor-setting device 14 and the support manipulator 13 is made in such a way that anchors can be set between the support arches held in the holding pockets 28 of the gripping device 17. Starting from the position illustrated in FIG. 3, the anchor-boring and anchor-setting device 14 can be pivoted about the axis 32, whereby anchors can be set in the entire roadway profile in the vertical plane lying between the two support arches.

In FIG. 4, the anchor-boring and anchor-setting device 14 is illustrated in a downwardly pivoted position, in which anchors can be set near the floor. Furthermore, it can be seen both in FIG. 3 and in FIG. 4 that the anchor-boring and anchor-setting device 14 can be supported and stabilised by means of supports props 19 which are extendable against the floor. Furthermore, on both sides of the longitudinal centre plane of the machine in each case a lowered work platform 33 can be seen which allows the operating personnel to get closer to the support arches or the anchor-boring and anchor-setting device 14.

In FIG. 4, the roadway profile is indicated with a 34. The support arch 35 is taken/held in the gripping device 17, which support arch 35 with the interpositioning of reinforcement elements 36 supports the roadway profile. Furthermore, a covering mat 37 can be seen which is pressed against the roof by means of an arch-like carrying device 38 arranged on the gripping device 17.

In the oblique view according to FIG. 5, now an entire roadway section can be seen, into which a plurality of support arches 35 are inserted to stabilise the roadway profile 34. It can be seen that two support arches 35 are respectively taken in the gripping device 17 or its holding pockets 28. Otherwise, the illustration according to FIG. 5 corresponds to those of FIGS. 3 and 4 and so accordingly the same reference numbers have been retained.

In FIG. 6, a tunnelling or extraction machine according to claim 2 is illustrated in the operating position which comprises a supporting device 40 (for the roof) assigned to the anchor-boring and anchor-setting device 14. The supporting device 40 and the anchor-boring and anchor-setting device 14 arranged on both sides of the centre plane are fastened to the movable platform 10 at a predetermined, fixed distance from one another. The supporting device 40 has a telescopic arm 41 which is fastened to the movable platform 10 in a vertically pivotable manner. Otherwise, the embodiment according to FIGS. 6 and 7 corresponds to the embodiment according to FIGS. 1 to 5 and therefore the reference numbers in FIGS. 1 to 5 have been retained.

In the plan view according to FIG. 7, the arrangement of the anchor-boring and anchor-setting device 14 and the supporting device 40 in relation to one another can be seen, which has been chosen in such a way that the supporting device presses against the roof during the anchoring process and secures the roof area which has still not been anchored. 

1. A tunneling or extraction machine comprising: cutting tools movable over a heading face and arranged on a boom; and a platform movable in a longitudinal direction of the machine and carries roadway support devices, the roadway support devices including a support manipulator and an anchor-boring and anchor-setting device, the anchor-boring and anchor-setting device being fastened to the movable platform in a pivotable manner between a parked position and an operating position, the support manipulator having a telescopic arm fastened to the movable platform in a vertically pivotable manner and which carries a gripping device for temporarily taking at least one support element, in particular a support arch, wherein the support manipulator and the anchor-boring and anchor-setting device are fastened to the movable platform at a predefined, fixed distance apart from one another and are displaceable together with the movable platform between a retracted position and a forwardly displaced position.
 2. A tunneling or extraction machine comprising: cutting tools movable over a heading face and arranged on a boom; and a platform movable in a longitudinal direction of the machine and carries roadway support devices, the roadway support devices including an anchor-boring and anchor-setting device and a supporting device for for supporting a roof, the anchor-boring and anchor-setting device being fastened to the movable platform in a pivotable manner between a parked position and an operating position, the supporting device having a telescopic arm fastened to the movable platform in a vertically pivotable manner, wherein the supporting device and the anchor-boring and anchor-setting device are fastened to the movable platform at a predefined, fixed distance apart from one another and are displaceable together with the movable platform between a retracted position and a forwardly displaced position.
 3. A tunneling or extraction machine according to claim 1, wherein the roadway support devices further comprise a lifting crane which has a telescopic jib rotatable about a horizontal rotational axis.
 4. A tunneling or extraction machine according to claim 3, wherein the lifting crane is fastened to the movable platform at a predefined, fixed distance from the support manipulator.
 5. A tunneling or extraction machine according to claim 1, wherein the gripping device includes at least one holding pocket for a support element, the support element being a support arch.
 6. A tunneling or extraction machine according to claim 1, wherein the gripping device includes a carrying device which is arch-like, for temporarily taking a covering mat.
 7. A tunneling or extraction machine according to claim 2, wherein the supporting device has a supporting plate which can be pressed against the roof.
 8. A tunneling or extraction machine to claim 2, wherein in the operating position the anchor-boring and anchor-setting device and the supporting device act on an area of the roof located in front of the cutting tools.
 9. A tunneling or extraction machine according to claim 2, wherein the platform (10) is supported in the forwardly displaced position on a support arranged on the boom (2).
 10. A tunneling or extraction machine according to claim 1, wherein a pivoting device pivots the anchor-boring and anchor-setting device between the parked position and the operating position, on which pivoting device a rollover is arranged, by means of which the anchor-boring and anchor-setting device in the operating position is pivotable about a rotational axis running in the longitudinal direction of the machine.
 11. A tunneling or extraction machine according to claim 10, wherein the pivoting device is arranged on a front end of the movable platform.
 12. A tunneling or extraction machine according to claim 10, wherein the pivoting device has at least one supporting prop extendable against a floor in the operating position of the anchor-boring and anchor-setting device.
 13. A tunneling or extraction machine according to claim 1, wherein the movable platform is encompassed on both sides by guide rails arranged on a machine frame.
 14. A tunneling or extraction machine according to claim 1, further comprising work platforms arranged on the movable platform on both sides of a longitudinal center plane of the machine.
 15. A tunneling or extraction machine according to claim 14, wherein each of the work platforms can be lowered and lifted by a lowering and lifting device relative to the movable platform.
 16. A tunneling or extraction machine according to claim 5, wherein the gripping device has two holding pockets, each holding pocket receiving a support element, the support element being a support arch.
 17. A tunneling or extraction machine according to claim 2, wherein a pivoting device pivots the anchor-boring and anchor-setting device between the parked position and the operating position, on which pivoting device a rollover is arranged, by means of which the anchor-boring and anchor-setting device in the operating position is pivotable about a rotational axis running in the longitudinal direction of the machine.
 18. A tunneling or extraction machine according to claim 17, wherein the pivoting device is arranged on a front end of the movable platform.
 19. A tunneling or extraction machine according to claim 17, wherein the pivoting device has at least one supporting prop extendable against a floor in the operating position of the anchor-boring and anchor-setting device.
 20. A tunneling or extraction machine according to claim 2, wherein the movable platform is encompassed on both sides by guide rails arranged on a machine frame.
 21. A tunneling or extraction machine according to claim 2, wherein the work platforms are arranged on the movable platform on both sides of the longitudinal center plane of the machine.
 22. A tunneling or extraction machine according to claim 21, wherein each of the work platforms are lowered and lifted relative to the movable platform by a lowering and lifting device. 